It's Only a Dream, Right?
by TheEvangelineCrimson
Summary: Evie is your everyday art major. Sarcastic and witty, with a touch of courage, she's perfect for the adventure the Company is about to embark on; or so Gandalf thinks. But when she enters a world of dwarves, hobbits, and magic; will she be able to handle it? And will she be able to handle the charmingly handsome dwarf brothers, Kili and Fili? But then, it's only a dream, right?
1. The Letter

I looked up at the sky. Clouds. Yep. It's going to rain. That would pretty much sum up my day. I sigh as I make my way down my street. What possessed me to become an art major is beyond me. Everyone said it would be fun; that I would go far with my artistic ability. Now, covered in paint, oil, and other liquid I would rather not think about, Im really wishing I went into law school. In the elite art school, my teachers are very demanding. Always saying, "Do this." or "Why isn't this done on time?"

I reach my house and look up at it. Wrought iron fence with perfectly cut grass. The same as the next house. And the next one. I sigh as I climb the stairs and unlock the bright red door. As I go to shut it, I glance across the street. Yep. There is crazy old man Smythe. "Go inside Mr. Smythe," I yell to him. He glances up from his chair in the yard and grinned a crazy grin. "No, I think it's gonna rain. The gods are giving us a gift!" he yells back with a crazy glint in his eye. I shut the door and shake my head, "crazy old man," I mutter as I walk to the kitchen.

I throw my bag on the table and grab a bottle of water. I shuffle through the mail on the counter; probably brought in by my gregarious roommate. He was a sweet one, even with his illicit hobbies. I pause and glance at his door down the hall before tilting my head and listening for any sound. After a few moments of silence, I shake my head and sigh. He must be out with his freaky friends again. One day that boy will learn. I once again shake my head before continuing through the pile of mail. His. His. His. His. I throw the mail back on the counter and hear one plop to the laminate floor. I reach down and pick it up. I look in disgust at the dirt that coats it before dusting it off. I glance at the cheap black and white checkered "tiles" before wrinkling my nose. I'll have to clean up later then. Fine, it will just be the icing on the cake for this stupid day.

I look back to the envelope and run my hand over the name written intricately on the front. It was addressed to me. The paper was thicker than most and looked cool; like someone aged it on purpose. "Huh. Didn't see you when I was going through the mail." I pause in my inspection before smiling slightly. I'm talking to paper now. Soon I'm going to be just like crazy old man Smythe who talks to his grass about the weather. My eyes widen at that. No, that would be the end of my life right there. I cross my fingers and make a pledge not to turn out that crazy. A little bit crazy is okay. Not that flavor of crazy though. I finger the envelope; it drawing my attention back like a magical force. "Ha! Magical force. Now your imagination is getting the better of you Evie. Where was the imagination this afternoon when the sculpture was due?" I mutter. I open the envelope and turn it around to check who it was from. No return address. I shrug and open it the rest of the way. I pull the letter out to read. It was also made of thicker material. Someone really spent a lot of time on this. And they were very creative. On the top in flourished handwriting read, "DO NOT CONTINUE PAST THIS POINT IF YOU DO NOT WANT ADVENTURE." Well, it wasn't exactly explicit information but it got my attention. What kind of adventure? Who decides what adventure is? Why did I receive this? And what could a letter do to provide any sort of adventure? Now I am curious as to what is inside of the rest. Mother always said I was too curious for my own good. Of course what she meant was that I was too curious for her and the gossiping women of her little social club. I wrinkle my nose in disgust. I'm glad I got out of there early. Another year of appeasing women who wear pink frilly dresses, and I would have died. I glance back at the message scrawled across the top of the letter. A feeling of rebellion entered me. My aunt always said the rebellion was from my father's side. "You're as stubborn as your father was. It's the Irish in ye!," Auntie Betsy used to say. I read the message again. You know what? I do want an adventure! I nod my head as if that settled it. I open the letter excitedly and glitter shoots out on to me. I jump in surprise and drop the letter to the floor. My good and rebellious mood is instantly gone. Anger quickly replaces it. I look at the glitter all over the floor, counter, and mail. My hands close into fists and I shake in anger as I look at the shiny little pieces on my clothes, sticking to the various liquids. "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! First my erratic teacher wants me to draw impossible things in an unbelievably short amount of time and now I have to deal with this!," I shriek; my voice going up several octaves. My arms and hands are flailing around and I feel my face become red with fury. "It is abso… absolutely.. ridicu.. lous..." I stumble as the world starts to spin. I throw my arms out to keep from falling and knock the open water bottle off of the counter. It seems to be falling in slow motion. Or that could just be me falling with it. The water bottle crashes to the floor and water splashes out. The last thing I see is the water leaking towards me through trails of glitter. Then everything goes black.


	2. Waking Up

**Alright, so this is my first fanfic. I am in love with LOTR and the Hobbit! Read the books. Can't wait for the next movie to come out and for the adventure to continue. Please review! Thanks. –Eva**

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"…Should we touch it?" I strain against the darkness that encompasses me. "Not it, Mr. Ori, her; and no." What is going on? I try to move anything but it feels like my limbs are made of lead. "We should leave her." Are they talking about me? They better not be talking about me! Wait. Who are they? "We cannot just leaver her Thorin. Besides I have been waiting for her." What? I force my eyes to open. The world spins in streaks of color until I am staring up at a clear light blue sky. Pretty. I roll my eyes downward and see several short men with large, impressive beards. I glance around the surroundings and see even more of them. I am surrounded by them. "Well, what else are we supposed to – Oh look she's awake," said one of the short men. He has an air of authority around him. And apparently, an attitude. All eyes turn towards me and I fight down I blush. I frown at them. An enormously tall older man walked over and smiled. "Hello my dear. Good to see you are awake. We've been waiting for you to join us," he says, in a grandfatherly tone. He smiled kindly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I blink up at him before stammering, "Hel—Hello." I frown and clear my throat. "I mean, hello. And who might you be?," I say in a much firmer voice. Mother always said to be polite but to have effrontery when dealing with men in the business world. Of course she just always flirted and twirled her blonde hair. They always fell for that. I glanced around at the men again. Besides, I don't think these are business men with the garb they are wearing. Is that a skirt?!

The tall man chuckled, bring my attention back to him. "We, my dear girl, are… travelers. We are going on an adventure. And so are you," he says calmly. I blinked at him for a minute before what he said sunk in. "Me?! I don't want to go on an adventure!," I practically shriek. This man must be insane! "Neither did I," muttered a small man with extraordinarily large and hairy feet muttered. The tall (crazy man) chuckled softly and replied, "Ah, but Mr. Baggins. You agreed earlier." He turned his attention back to me and said, "And you, my dear, also agreed to go on this adventure. You opened my letter the rest of the way. You would not have done that if you did not want adventure." I frowned at him before my eyes widened. I stood up quickly and started yelling. "Now you listen here, sir! I have had an awful day! First my teacher is a complete jerk to me, then I have to deal with the crazy guy across the street, and then I have to deal with my ruined clothes! And that LETTER that you sent me has not helped! SO if you know what is good for you, you'd… you would…" I stop mid-rant, looking at my arms. I examine them like they are a new species. My arms. They are shorter and thinner. More muscular than I have ever had. These can't be my arms. I look down at the rest of my body and had to do a double-take. I was only 4 feet tall! And that was being generous! I looked up at the tall man with wide eyes. "What. Happened. To. Me?!," I shriek at him. The man frowned, a line creasing between his eyebrows. Then he smiled and said calmly, "Ah, yes. This must be strange for you. And with our rudeness, you must be entirely confused. I'll make this quick to avoid confusion. I am Gandalf the Grey. I am a wizard. This is Thorin Oakshield, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Gloin, Nori, Oin, Ori, and our hobbit, Mr. Bilbo Baggins." Every man bowed when his name was said. "Wait. You're saying that you are a wizard. And he's a hobbit?," I asked incredulously. "And we are dwarves!," yelled one of the men, dwarves. Alright, these people are crazier than I thought. I start to tell them this but am cut off by one. "Well, now that that is cleared up, we have to move on," barked Thorin. Guess he still had an attitude. All of the dwarves reacted to his statement so he must be the leader. "Yes, well. Let's get Ms.… I am sorry. We didn't quite catch your name, love," Bofur said. "Evie. Evie Rogers," I state automatically. Years of being taught to say it a certain way makes the habit hard to break. I purse my lips. "Well, Evie, we have to leave now! I will not be slowed because you decided to join," Thorin barks while gathering his gear. I glare at him before having an idea. I turn back to Gandalf. "Wait, wait, wait! You're telling me that you are a wizard, he is a hobbit, and they are dwarves? And I'm supposed to just go with you to some unknown place on an 'adventure'? ," I huff. "Well, Mister Gandalf, that is particularly interesting to me because this happens to be the plot of a freaking book!" I stop and look at everyone. "Am I being Punk'd? Is that what's happening? Where's Ashton Kutcher? I'm not fond of trickery!" I spin around. How did I get in the woods? "Only if you want adventure, Evie. And I think you do," Gandalf says wisely, answering my first question.

"This is a dream. I'm dreaming," I say, trying to convince myself. "Well if it's a dream, then you can wake up at any time. So you can come with us for the time being," squeaked Ori. "Don't let her think that this is a dream Ori! Then she'll run off and do something crazy," Dori and Nori yell together. "No, no he's right. I can wake up at any time so I might as well make the most of this dream," I say. "Besides, it will be a good story to tell when I wake up," I mutter quietly to myself. I smile, suddenly cheery due to the dream status. "That's the spirit! Okay, let's get Evie a horse and be on our way," Gandalf said clapping his hands. Kili and Fili bring a horse around to me. She was white with large brown patched artfully covering her coat. She was perfect. "Her name's Rain," stated Fili with a smile and a wink. "Yeah, she's a wild one. Should suit you," added Kili with an identical wink. The brothers (only brothers could be so in sync) looked at each other and laughed. I jump onto Rain with ease. "Come on, girl," I mutter as I ride past the laughing pair. I lean down to Rain's ear. "They were just messing around. You're not wild or exacting. You are beautiful. Aren't you baby girl?," I coo softly. Rain nickered softly in response but kept walking with the rest of the group.


	3. Stew, Orcs, and Flirting Oh My!

**Thanks for the follows, guys! I'll try to update every other day. Sorry for the wait. And please tell me your opinion. Thanks. –Eva**

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The day that was filled with bickering, complaining, and joking; slowly progressed to night. Thorin apparently knew where we were going even though it looked like we were walking in circles. I'm pretty sure we passed the same fallen log at least twice. I asked Rain and she agrees. Then again, what do we know? Can you even get lost in a dream? Well, they say the mind is endless. "We stop here," Thorin bellowed; pulling me out of my reverie. I peered around Bifur and his horse to see where we were sleeping. It was a small opening that led to the side of a cliff. Nice.

I hopped off of Rain and ran my hand over her impeccable coat. I pulled out the apple Bilbo tossed to me hours before and held it out for her to eat. She sniffed at it, her breath hot against my skin, before taking a bite. "There you go sweetie. Shh… We can't tell Bilbo," I murmured. A deep chuckle sounded behind me which was quickly followed by another. I spun around quickly and came face to face with Kili and Fili. "Keeping secrets, are we?," Kili asked with a crooked smile. "Anything you want to tell _us_? We can be trusted," Fili added while slinging his arm around his brother. They both smiled and widened their eyes; trying to look innocent. It just made them look dangerous and darkly handsome. Double trouble.

….Wait. Darkly handsome? Double trouble? Where did that come from? I shook my head. I looked up to see them watching me expectantly. I smiled slightly and stated, "Well that is good to know if I ever feel like being talkative." I shoved past them and walked up to Balin who was making something in a pot. I peered over the rim. "It is stew. The best kind, at that," he said proudly. I smiled at him. "Oh, I'll be the judge of that. My grandmother used to make the best stew there ever was," I told him while breathing in the delectable smell. He laughed heartily before glancing over at Kili and Fili. "They seem to have taken a liking to you, miss," he said while adding herbs into the pot. I breathed in the new spicier smell and looked over at the two brothers. They were shoving each other back and forth while laughing. I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I suppose they have. They are rather glib. But they are still gregarious when they flirt," I chuckle. He joins in before smiling, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yes, I suppose they can be. But they are good young dwarves," he answered. I glanced back into the pot. "Is there anything you need me to help with?," I ask. He stirred the contents of the pot before tasting it. "Hmm… No thank you, lass. I think it is done. We should get yours first so you can avoid the danger," Balin stated with a knowing smile. "Huh?," I asked confused, as he hands me a bowl. "I would step back, lass," he said with a chuckle. I shrugged and walked over to lean against the rock face a few feet away. Balin looked over and winked at me before bellowing, "Supper is done!"

Suddenly, all of the dwarves ran up and crowded around the pot, save Thorin and Gandalf. There was pushing and shoving and yelling. I looked at Balin with wide-eyes. He flashed me a smile before grabbing a bowl of stew himself. I felt two people on either side of me. I sighed before glancing on both sides and seeing both Fili and Kili sitting. I sighed again and glanced toward the sky before sitting down between them. I spooned some stew into my mouth and raised my eyebrows in surprise at the delectable taste. I moaned softly as the melt-in-your-mouth stew slid down my throat. I felt both Kili and Fili stiffen. I glanced up and saw that they were both watching me with their spoons raised halfway to their mouths; their eyes wide. "What?," I asked, looking back and forth at both of them. They glanced at each other. "Nothing," Fili said while Kili cleared his throat. I shrugged before catching Balin's eye and giving him a thumbs up. He smiled proudly and kept eating.

I finished my stew and stood to rinse it out. "Here, I got that for you, miss," Ori said shyly. I smiled at him and gave my bowl over. "Thank you, sweetie," I replied softly. He blushed brightly before turning away and running back over to his older brothers. I smiled as I watched them comfort him and take care of him. I remember Ori was the shy, adorable one in the book my friend Rose went on about. Wait until I tell her I dreamed about him, I mused quietly. I turned back and took my place between the two brothers; grabbing the blanket laying on one. "Oi! That's mine," Kili yelled playfully. "Sh! You'll bring the orcs right to us," Fili said in a conspiratorial whisper. "The what?," Bilbo asked. I looked up at him as he leaned in with wide eyes. I hadn't even realized he was listening. "Ah yes, the orcs," Kili said leaning forward. He started telling Bilbo the terrifying things orcs do when Thorin interrupted. "Enough," he growled at the brothers. "You think this is funny? You know nothing of the world," he continued. Kili and Fili looked at the ground, properly reprimanded. "Don't worry about him. He just has more of a reason to hate orcs," Balin said with a sorrowful tone. "Why?," I asked while still watching Thorin. Balin shifted before he started telling the sad tale of Thorin's grandpa's death. I leaned back against the rock face, listening. Soon, my eyes started becoming heavy and I was lulled into sleep by Balin's deep voice and the warmth of Fili and Kili.


	4. The Dangers of Sleeping

**Thanks again for the review. They are much appreciated. Enjoy, my darlings! –Eva**

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…I woke up curled against something soft and warm with a similar warmth covering me. I sighed in content and comfort before snuggling down against my warm resting place. My eyes immediately popped open when I felt my soft bed move. I glanced down slowly. Fili was draped across my lower half, covering me from the cold. My shirt had risen during the night so he snuggled his bearded chin into my bare stomach. I felt movement under me and immediately glanced up. Kili had his head propped against the rock face. I was laying on top of him, snuggled into his chest. Instead of a warm blanket, his arms were like vices around me. The worst part? I had to pee.

I took a deep breath and tried to wiggle my way out of their embrace. Both moaned and tightened their grip, drawing me closer. I let out the breath I was holding, blowing my hair out of my face in frustration. I looked around at the other sleeping dwarves before my eyes rested on Gandalf, who was watching me try to escape. His lips were twitching like he was hiding back a smile. Yeah, laugh it up buddy. I sighed and glared at him from my spot between the brothers. He was now wearing a full grin and holding back a laugh.

I narrowed my eyes before gently shaking Fili. "Hey, wake up," I whispered, glancing worriedly at the other sleeping dwarves. What if they woke up and saw the position we were in? Oh, that would not be good. "Fili, you have to wake up, now!" I said in a louder whisper. He groaned and shifted, fully burying his face in my stomach. "Noooo…" he groaned. I felt Kili shift behind me before a pair of lips gently touched my ear. "You won't be able to wake him up like that, love," he whispered, his breath hot against my skin. I shivered slightly before mentally scolding myself. No, do not fall for the charm, Evie. I narrowed my eyes as I twisted to see his face. His eyes were bright and held a spark of mischief. "You were awake this entire time, weren't you?" I accused. "Yep," he replied cheekily, popping the 'P'. He tightened his arms around me and buried hid face in my hair. "Ugh! Let me go," I demanded, squirming. He sighed in defeat and loosened his grip. I quickly jumped up, knocking Fili to the ground. The movement cause Fili to jump awake. "Wha-," he yelled in surprise. The rest of the dwarves immediately woke and stood, alert. Gandalf chuckled while saying, "No need to worry. Just some early morning amusement." The dwarves visibly relaxed. Bilbo sagged to the ground, his eyes still wide and his breathing heavy. Thorin glared my way before ordering everyone to pack up. "We leave in 10 minutes," he said sternly. Guess he wasn't a morning person.

With a sigh, I started packing things in the bag that was given to me. I ran behind the rock and peed in record time before returning to the bag. I really wish I had _my_ bag with me. Maybe I could dream it up. I concentrated on imagining the bag but I just couldn't remember what it looked like. I frowned before slowly walking over to Rain and placing the borrowed bag on her. I jumped up onto her with ease. Still lost in thought, trying to figure out how I couldn't remember my favorite bag; I didn't hear Bilbo come up behind me. "Where did you learn to do that?" he asked. His voice tore me from my thoughts and I focused on him. "What?" I asked, confused. He smiled before jumping on his own pony. The rest of the Company were ready and we started to leave. "Riding a horse. You jumped onto it like you've done it before," he explained. I kept pace with Bilbo and answered, "My mother had me take lessons when I was younger." He nodded before handing me an apple. He seems to have an infinite supply of them. I smiled in gratitude before taking a bite. The juice slid down my chin. I wiped it on my shirt sleeve. Not the most disgusting thing on it. I look at the apple again. Hmm, it was far from epicure but I wasn't complaining.

The next few days went by in a blur. There was rain, sunshine, and wind. Oh, and pure misery. Can't forget that one. I didn't realize you could get your period in a dream. Gross. Then, one late afternoon, Thorin told everyone that we were sleeping near ruins of some kind. I wasn't really listening but I know Gandalf protested and it eventually escalated to an argument between the two. The next thing I know, Gandalf is storming away muttering to himself. The argument also left Thorin in a bad mood. I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior before settling myself down beside Dori and Ori. Ori blushed and scooted away so our legs weren't touching. I didn't try to sit that close, there just wasn't enough room. I frowned, already in an awful mood from cramps. Dori chuckled before whispering, "It's okay, lass. He hasn't had much female interaction." I smiled slightly and glanced at Ori who was watching Bofur. Having already heard the story Bofur was telling, I leaned over and whispered to Dori, "I know. He's adorable." Dori smiled and nodded affectionately.

I turned and watched Bilbo head into the forest with bowls of soup. Probably for Kili and Fili, I mused. I wonder what they would say if I went to join them. I stopped my thoughts short. No, Evie. Behave yourself. They are attractive, but you can control yourself around them. Besides, it's only a dream. They are just figments of your imagination… but then it wouldn't hurt anything if I did… NO! Just stop there. I shook my head. What am I going to do with myself? I leaned back against Dori and shut my eyes. He smelled like pipe tobacco just like my grandfather. It was comforting. Dori shifted and put his arm around me before kissing my forehead. "There ya go, lass. You've had a long day," he whispered in a fatherly tone. I smiled at the comfort I received from his voice. It has been a long time since I had a father figure. I allowed myself to relax into him. Just as I was falling into a comfortable sleep, Kili and Fili burst through the forest edge, yelling about trolls and Bilbo and horses. Immediately the dwarves jumped up and collected their weapons. I stood quickly before running after them into the forest. I was going to yell that we needed a plan before barging into the danger but they had already left. Didn't they watch any action movies? I saw movement in a clearing and ran towards it, hoping to catch up to them. I broke through the edge and saw giant, ugly, trolls. Trolls? That can't be possible. One of the trolls picked the dwarves up and started shoving them into bags. I was about to yell when I felt something close in around me.


	5. Trolls Bring People Together

**I may not have time to update this weekend, duckies. I'm sorry, but school comes first and 3 research projects can't be put off. Thank you for the reviews! Criticism is welcome… as are compliments. :) Thank you and hope you enjoy! –Eva**

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I felt myself being lifted off of the ground quickly. I grabbed on to the thing lifting me to keep from falling. For some reason, I don't think the trolls would mind me plummeting to my death. I looked down at the enormous, dirty hand that gripped my body and wrinkled my nose in disgust. The smell wafting off of it was horrible. It was worse than an old, rotting outhouse.

The hand came to a stop and I raised my eyes; only to come face-to-face with the ugliest thing I've ever seen. There was dirt, sweat, and other substances I'd rather not mention covering the trolls face. "What have we here?" the ugly troll growled. "Let me have a look," another one with a chef outfit on stated. "No, this one is mine," Ugly stated with a sneer. "Put it in the sac for later, we have to finish cooking these," Chef sneered back. Ugly huffed before shoving me into a sac and tossing me onto the pile of dwarves.

I landed on top of Bofur who groaned in pain. "Sorry," I muttered as I rolled off. I looked at the dwarves above the fire, unconsciously looking for Fili and Kili. They weren't there and I unintentionally sagged with relief. I glanced at the other dwarves beside me and saw them at the other end of the pile. They both glanced over like they knew I was watching. Kili gave me a reassuring smile while Fili looked at me with worry. "I'm okay," I mouthed silently. They both nodded and the relief was evident on their faces. Wow, they must really care, I mused silently with a little smile. I immediately frowned. No, they are imaginary. They. Are. Not. Real. I silently scolded myself. Then, bringing myself back to the present, I saw them watching me with worried eyes. I looked away. That put me in the sight of Balin, however. He was watching his brothers being turned over the fire with a rage filled expression. Commotion near the fire drew my attention. Bilbo was yelling and getting the trolls' attention. I knew he was trying to distract them, but I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. I felt empty and cold. Logically, I knew I was going into shock and I needed to snap out of it but I couldn't find the motivation. I sagged to the ground and watched Bilbo try to reason with Ugly. I smiled softly at Bilbo's antics. He really was brave. Why couldn't Thorin see that?

It was that thought that had me looking for Thorin in the mess of bodies. He was up towards the top watching Bilbo with mild interest and slight disdain. I sighed and stared at the fire. By now, my limbs started to tingle and I was shivering. I couldn't hear what was being said and it was getting hard to breath. I saw Bofur lean over me; he was trying to tell me something. I saw his lips moving but it was like the world was muted. I suddenly felt tired and my eyes fluttered closed, my body relaxing into the disgusting sack. The world turned black and peaceful. Maybe this is what being dead felt like, I mused before passing out.

I woke being held by two warm bodies that were both shaking. The world was like a roaring mass of colors. Then, suddenly, everything snapped into place and I could see and hear. I glanced at the dwarves holding me. Kili and Fili. I looked past their shoulders and caught the eye of Dori. He smiled and his worried face smoothed out. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him questioningly. He just shook his head and motioned to the two dwarves who were firmly embracing me.

"Kili? Fili? Not that I don't appreciate the warmth, but why are you holding me?" I asked hesitantly. They both stiffened before simultaneously looking up at me. Their faces were tearstained. The tears led little trails through the dirt on their faces. I frowned, glancing between the two of them. "What happened?" I asked softly. The just shook their heads before tightly embracing me again. "Don't ever do that to us again, lass," Fili said against my neck. Kili nodded in agreement. "Don't ever do what?' I asked, truly confused. I glanced around at the surroundings. There were three stone figures of trolls a few feet away. My eyes widened as I remembered the past events.

"You've been out for about an hour," Fili explained softly. "We thought you wouldn't wake up. Your heart rate slowed down and you were so cold," Kili continued. I tore my eyes from the statues and looked at them. "You were crying because you thought I was dead?" I asked. They both nodded solemnly. I felt something wet drip onto my cheek and put my hand up to wipe it away. I realized I was crying. No, not crying, sobbing. I started to sob uncontrollably, burying myself in Fili and Kili. They both wrapped their arms around me, looking at each other over my head. "Shh… You're alright," Kili soothed. Fili rubbed my back soothingly while murmuring nonsense words of comfort.

Eventually, the sobbing slowed, then stopped. I sniffled and rubbed my hand across my face, wiping away the tears. I looked at Fili's and Kili's shoulders, which had huge wet spots on them. "I'm so sorry. I ruined your shirts," I said embarrassingly. They looked at each other before smirking. "I highly doubt that is the worst substance on them," Fili said with a smile. The joke shocked a giggle out of me which turned into full blown laughter. They both laughed with me. "Well, since everyone is feeling better; we have to go," Thorin said; his words dripping with sarcasm. I looked up at him and smiled, which took him off guard. "You're right, let's continue on our adventure," I said enthusiastically. Sometimes, hormones can be funny things.

After being passed around the dwarves with each of them making sure I was okay, we set off on our horses. I kept pace with Kili and Fili; occasionally glancing over at them. We were walking along at a decent pace when suddenly, everyone stopped. I watched Gandalf and Thorin get off their horses and walk over to a cave in the mountain. I watched as the rest of the Company did the same. I hopped off of Rain and ran over to see what the big deal was. I mean, we just faced a near death experience by trolls. What could possibly be more interesting than that? I watched as each one of my friends walked through the opening. I followed.

I was met by the worst smell ever. I thought the trolls were bad, but the cave was ten times worst. "What is that smell?" Bilbo asked in disgust. "Trolls place," someone answered. Everyone began exploring the small cave. Gandalf warned everyone to be careful with what they touched. I watched as my friends buried gold in the dirt. "What are you doing?" I asked with amusement. "Making a long term investment," Bofur answered with a smile. I shook my head and walked over to a corner of the cave.

Immediately, something shiny caught my eye. It was slightly buried but was glowing softly. I reached down and pulled out a small sword from the dirt. It was a little bit longer than 3 feet and had intricate designs going up the blade. I looked freshly sharpened. "You should keep it. You never know when you might need a good sword," Gandalf stated from beside me. I startled slightly, having not heard him come up. I turned to him. "It sounds like it's whispering," I said with a frown. And it was. It was difficult to hear, but it sounded like soft music was coming from the blade. Like music that was created just for me to hear. Gandalf nodded. "I do not know about it whispering, but it is an elven blade. It was intricately made. Bilbo picked one up and is keeping it. I suggest you do the same, young Evie," Gandalf said before turning away. I nodded to myself and walked out of the cave with my new blade.

"What do you have there, Evie?" Fili asked. I smiled and held it up, showing him. He nodded before smiling mischievously. "Do you even know how to wield a blade?" he asked. I started to nod but stopped myself. No, no I did not. I shook my head. "I can teach you," Kili said from behind me. I smiled at him. "I would like that," I replied. He smiled and brushed past me to join Fili. I watched as they jumped back on their horses before walking over to Rain. I stroked her neck and vaulted up on her back. Soon, the rest of the dwarves finished satisfying their curiosity in the cave and jumped on their horses. We continued on as soon as everyone was ready.

We rode for several hours and Kili was in the middle of telling me an embarrassing story about Fili when we heard something loud in the forest. It was running towards us. The dwarves got into a defensive position just as something broke through the brush coming straight at us.


	6. Radagast, Orcs, and Realizations

**Okay. I'm so sorry for the delay, duckies. My computer was having problems and I had to do my research projects. To make it up to you, this chapter includes some fluff. Have fun. Thanks! –Eva**

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The dwarves immediately spun toward the danger; their weapons raised in a defensive position. I turned with them while stumbling back a few steps. Out of the brush, burst a tiny man on a sled of rabbits. Rabbits?! They weren't just rabbits, though. These were huge! "Radagast," Gandalf said enthusiastically; greeting the tiny man. The man, Radagast, jerked toward Gandalf and started speaking rapidly. Gandalf shushed him before motioning the man to the side. Apparently, he wanted privacy. I turned to Kili and Fili and raised my eyebrows. They both looked at me and shrugged as if to say Oh well. I rolled my eyes which made them narrow theirs. They both made a face at me. I tried to fight off a smile but couldn't. I started laughing and they joined in; causing Gandalf and Radagast to glance up from their conversation. I smiled and did a little finger wave at them. Radagast grinned back and waved whole heartily. I chuckled and turned back to Kili and Fili; who were glaring at Radagast. I frowned before turning to look back at him. He was just talking to Gandalf again. He wasn't doing anything to deserve that look. I frowned at the brothers; who caught my look. They both had the grace to look embarrassed.

"They're awfully possessive of you, lass," a deep voice rumbled from behind me. I smiled and leaned back against Dori before frowning when his words sunk in. "What do you mean?" I asked while turning around to face him. He gave me a funny look before glancing over at the brothers. Then he smiled and shook his head. "You are very intelligent, lass. Unless the topic is about yer own heart," he said wisely. I frowned at him, crossing my arms. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked heatedly while giving him a hard look. He shrugged before glancing over at Kili and Fili. They were watching us and whispering to each other. I smiled involuntarily. "It means you should be careful because it's not only your heart on the line," he said solemnly; drawing my attention back to him. He was watching my face closely like he might find some answer there. I frowned at him before glancing back at Kili and Fili who gave little girly finger waves. It drew a chuckle from my lips. I turned back to Dori. He was still studying my face, but then he nodded like he found the answer he was looking for. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said indigently. I sounded like a child, even to me. He shook his head and smiled before murmuring, "You will, lass. Maybe sooner than later." I watched as he walked back over to Nori and Ori.

"What were you two talking about," a playful voice asked teasingly. I turned around to find Kili and Fili smiling and rocking back on their heels. I smiled back. They just had that effect on me, nowadays. "Well, we were talking about running away together and getting married after this," I said with a smirk. The smiles on their faces both darkened. They glared over at Dori with a stiff posture. I frowned at them in confusion. "I'm kidding, guys. Calm down," I said looking back and forth at them. They glances back at me with identical frowns before smiling sheepishly. The brothers glanced at each other. They seemed to have a silent conversation because Kili nodded at his brother. They both look back to me. Fili opened his mouth like he was going to say something but was cut off by a loud growl coming from beside us.

Immediately after it sounded, a huge wolf-like thing burst through the brush at us. The dwarves immediately went into action and killed the thing before it could land. "What is that?!" I shriek while backing up into Bilbo. His eyes are wide and he gripped my arm like a life line. "See!" Radagast said. I guess that is what Gandalf and he were talking about. "Orcs. They usually travel in packs so there are more coming," Nori said gravely. "Who did you tell about the journey?" Gandalf yelled at Thorin. "I told no one" Thorin yelled back. "They've been tracking us," Kili said, adding to the conversation. It ended the argument between Gandalf and Thorin. I glanced at Kili. Huh, he's smarter than I thought. "…I'll distract them," Radagast said, finishing his sentence. Dammit, I have to start paying attention more. I looked at everyone who was nodding. "We'll have to leave the horses. They'll draw too much attention," Gandalf stated hurriedly. The dwarves nodded in agreement and began gathering their things that they dropped. I walked over to Rain and rested my head against her. "Shh… it's okay baby girl. I'm going to have to leave you. It's not by choice, though. You stay safe," I murmured to her while stroking her neck softly. She nickered softly back at me, her warm breath blowing my hair back, tickling my ear. I smiled sadly, a tear making its way down my cheek. I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. "We have to go, Evie," Fili said softly. I nodded against Rain before giving her a kiss on the neck.

I straightened and sniffled. Fili pulled his hand back, letting me have my space. I looked up at him and smiled sadly. His eyes softened before he pulled me into a hug. "She'll be alright. She is brave just like her rider," he said while stroking my hair. I nodded and hugged him back tightly before pulling away. I straightened my clothes and nodded again. "Okay, let's go," I said while briskly walking over to the rest of the group. Kili came to stand beside me and Fili. He gently grabbed my chin, causing me to look at him. His eyes softened, like his brother's, as he wiped away a stray tear. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly. I smiled and nodded.

Radagast fled through the forest on his sled quickly. We ran in the opposite direction which forced us into open expanses of fields. I could see the orcs chasing Radagast, him staying just ahead of them. We sprinted behind different hills, away from the orcs. It seemed like every time we went to escape, the orcs circled back; chasing Radagast. We hid behind a hill. I was crouched between Kili and Fili. We could feel the orc moving upon top. He was coming to the edge. Thorin motioned Kili to shoot, so he shot an arrow, killing the orc instantly. This, however, brought attention to us. The orcs all turned and ran toward us; murder in their eyes. The dwarves took a defensive stance. Kili and Fili forced me behind them. "Where's Gandalf?" someone yelled. That caused me to look around the surroundings hurriedly. It was true. Gandalf seemed to have disappeared. I didn't have time to think anything of it because the orcs spilled over us like a flood of death. The dwarves all fought savagely. I looked around and found Bilbo looking at the scene with wide-eyes. I saw an orc running toward him, ready to strike. I reacted.

My hand instinctively grabbed my new sword and pulled it out of the sheath on my waist. Before I even had the sword out, I was standing near Bilbo. It was like one minute I was yards away and the next, I was right next to him. The sword came out with a flash of silver before it sank through the orc like a knife through butter. I pulled the sword out and looked up at Bilbo with wide eyes. I just killed it. It was that easy. Bilbo must have saw the horror on my face because he swallowed and nodded quickly. I guess he was trying to reassure me. Then Gandalf suddenly appeared out of nowhere, yelling for us to get in the hole. What hole? I watched as the dwarves jumped into what seemed like an invisible hole in the ground. I looked around frantically for Kili and Fili. I felt arms around my waist before I was being dropped through the hole with someone. I looked behind me to see Fili. I smiled in relief before frantically looking for Kili. He wasn't here. Everyone else was. But he wasn't. "Kili? Kili?" I yelled, trying to get out of Fili's arms. I turned around, panicking. Fili folded me in his arms. He was murmuring words that I couldn't understand. The only thing I knew was that Kili wasn't here. I held on to Fili like a life line. He was my solid rock in a river of panic.

Suddenly, there was a thud from behind us. I turned to see Kili straightening up from a crouched position. I ran across the short space and jumped on him, clinging. He leaned back enough to see my face. I didn't realize that I was crying until he used his thumb to gently wipe away the tear. "Are these for me?" he asked softly. I nodded and buried my face in his shoulder. I still felt incomplete until it clicked about what I wanted. I turned my head and met Fili's eyes. He must have read what I wanted from them because he came over and embraced me too. I buried my face in the crook of his neck. My legs were still wrapped around Kili. Held between the two of them, I felt safe. The comfort caused the tears to slow and stop.

I unwound my legs and slid down to the ground. I wiped my face and glanced at the other dwarves. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, trying to give us privacy. The only ones who weren't were Gandalf, Thorin, and Dori. Dori and Gandalf both looked at us with knowing expressions on their faces. Thorin had a considering and guarded look on his. "Do we follow the tunnel?" Oin asked. Gandalf nodded. Everyone started to trek through the rest of the tunnel. It was a tight fit in some places but eventually widened to reveal a whole land underneath. It was like Treasure Island. I gasped at the beauty of it. There was a huge castle placed on the side of the mountain we came out of. An underground mountain, I mused. "Rivendell," Bilbo murmured in awe. Gandalf nodded. "Yes, Rivendell."


	7. Rivendell

**Alright! I'm back. This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Especially since it got me out of doing homework. Hooray for procrastination! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks, loves. –Eva**

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We walked down the pathway that led to the palace. Bilbo and I were staring around the place openly in awe. We both looked at each other; sharing our wonderment. The dwarves were also impressed with the place of the elves, but they hid it for fear of what Thorin would do. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He was looking around the openness with disgust. I guess the beauty of the place was wasted on him. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Kili and Fili. One was on each side of me, close enough that they brushed my arms every time we took a step.

Eventually, we made it down to the courtyard of the castle where there were elves waiting. How do I know they were elves? Thorin kept muttering under his breath about "the disgusting creatures." I wonder what they ever did to him. One of the elves, who had hair long enough to be a woman's came forward. He started a conversation with Gandalf. They spoke in a beautiful language. It was like poetry that flowed out of his mouth. So smooth and elegant. Gandalf's version of the language was rusty and choppy. I smiled at his efforts. Then, I turned my attention to the surroundings. We were surrounded by beautiful walls with over flowing plants. Gee, these people reminded me of hippies. I glanced at the elf with long hair. Yep, definitely hippies. I smiled softly to myself. However, I was knocked out of my amusing thoughts when I heard the dwarves throwing a fit. They were yelling at the elf about him insulting them. I frowned at their antics. Gandalf rolled his eyes. "He was offering us refuge and food," he soothed, calming the angry dwarves. They all stiffened in surprise, looking at the elf. I shook my head at them. "We would be delighted to stay. We also appreciate the hospitality; especially on such… short notice," I said to the tall elf. Years of being diplomatic and moving my way through the maze of politics actual came in handy. Huh. Who would have known?

He smiled softly down at me. "We would be honored to have you. The short notice is not a problem," he replied. He nodded to another elf who told us to follow her. I looked at Gandalf, catching his eye. He nodded; understanding that I was asking him if they could be trusted. I turned and followed the lady elf, the dwarves trailing behind me. I felt a presence beside me so I glanced over. Bilbo was still walking with an awe-struck expression on his face. He bumped into me which drew him out of his reverie. "You okay?" I asked with a smile. He looked surprised. "Of course. It's just… this is supposed to be a place of legend in the Shire," he admitted while watching the elves move around us. I nodded in understanding.

The lady elf brought us to a room with a small table. There was food lining it; ready to be eaten. She glanced at the dwarves and smiled at them. "You must be hungry. We offer you nourishment. Please enjoy what we have to offer you," she said kindly while motioning to the food. The dwarves immediately gravitated towards the table and dug in. I stayed back and touched her shoulder, drawing her attention. "Thank you. For everything again. It is kind of you to offer us this," I said earnestly. Her face softened even more before she touched the hand that held my shoulder. "Of course. Now, you should eat. You have to stay healthy," she said before gracefully gliding out the door. I watched her go and walked over to the table. I sat down in the open space between Kili and Fili. They saved it for me. That earned them both a smile. A confused expression crossed their faces before they grinned and continued to eat.

I looked down at my plate. Salad. I glanced up and down the table. There was no meat. I frowned and looked at the dwarves. They were starting to notice as well. Bombur held up a leaf of lettuce and said in a grudging tone, "What are we supposed to do with this? Where is the meat?" I stifled a laugh at the other dwarves' lost expressions as they looked up and down the table. "You're supposed to eat it," I replied with a roll of my eyes. They all looked at each other before digging back in.

After I we finished what was on the table, more was brought out. "You need to eat" was all the elves said. Everyone shrugged and just enjoyed the meal that was given to us. Well, all except Thorin. He was reluctantly eating the food while glaring at the surroundings. I shook my head at him. They were showing us extreme hospitality and he couldn't even be a little grateful. I mean, I know he held a grudge against the elves for some reason but a little respect could be shown. Gandalf led us here for a reason. He trusted these people so they must be safe. That thought made me search the room for Gandalf. He was nowhere to be found. Probably still with that tall elf, I thought. I sighed and shifted, laying down. I placed my hands over my stomach, which felt like it was about to burst. I really shouldn't have eaten that much. Kili and Fili glanced down at me and smiled. I smiled back before closing my eyes. I just wanted to rest for a minute.

I woke by someone gently shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes, sitting up. It was dark out. But in a pre-dawn sort of way. How long have I been asleep? I looked at the dwarves, sleeping around each other. My eyes instinctively sought out Fili and Kili. They were laying on either side of me, a few feet away. I frowned. Huh. Usually we slept pretty close together. The hand that woke me touched my shoulder again, gently. I glanced behind me to see the lady elf that served us. She smiled softly and leaned in. "My lady wished to speak with you before dawn," she said softly and quietly. I looked at the dwarves again before turning back to her. I nodded, quietly getting up. She didn't have to try to be quiet. She rose off of the ground gracefully and motioned for me to follow her. I took one last look at Fili and Kili before I did.

She led me down several hallways and up a spiral staircase. The elves we passed nodded to us and smiled in greeting. We soon stopped in front of a door with intricate design on it. She gently pushed open the door and motioned for me to go inside. I walked into the room to discover it was a bathroom. The bath was huge and was filled with steaming water. There were petals of flowers floating in the water and it filled the bathroom with a soft, feminine smell. I finally noticed the lady elf standing in the corner. I gasped when I saw her. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She smiled gently and held her hand out to me. "Hello, Evie. I am Galadriel. I've been waiting to meet you. Come, we have much to discuss before dawn," she said; her voice like tinkling bells. I looked at her in confusion. She smiled again and gently sat down on the edge of the bathtub. "Let us start with why you were taken from your world and placed into ours," she said softly, with a knowing look in her eyes.


	8. Galadriel

**Please don't be angry! I love you, duckies! My teachers do not understand the importance of writing this. I even tried explaining it to them. But, they still wanted the projects done. On the bright side, I finished the research projects. Now on to the Spanish projects. Almost all of my high school years in Spanish and I still don't understand it. *Sigh* Well, duckies, I suppose there is no excuse for being late. So to make up for it, I will add a lovely scene here. Also note that there will soon be another fanfic up about ThorinxOFC. The idea grabbed me today and Thorin refuses to wait his darn turn. Don't be shy, review! Criticism is welcome. As are compliments. :) Enjoy. -Eva**

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"Wha—What do you mean?" I stutter while backing up. She smiles kindly before standing up gracefully. I backed up even farther until my back hit the wall. My hands reach out on each side, searching for something to hold on to. "Do not be afraid, child," she says softly, her voice like bells. "I'm not afraid," I retort, straightening instinctively. She tilts her head to the side and laughs quietly. "Of course not, child. You are very brave," she replies. I smile at the compliment and relax. Her voice is motherly and calming. Nothing like what I am used to. Nothing like my actual mother's voice which was usually used to express distaste with me. No, Galadriel's voice is soft and soothing. An elf's voice. "Come, child. You must have many questions for me," she says while motioning to the side of the tub. I walk over and sink down to the side, dipping my hand in the clear, hot water. She gracefully glides over and lowers herself down. "You must want a bath, child. Clean yourself and we can discuss what you wish," she says calmly. I startle. "What?!" I say, jerking my hand out of the water and tugging on my shirt. She smiles and shakes her head, her beautiful locks of hair gracefully falling around her shoulders. "Come child, you are among friends. No one will harm you here. By any means," she says with a sad, knowing look. I glance around the room. It's true, we are the only ones in here. I look at her. She smiled and rubs a flower petal between her fingers. I sigh and look at my skin. Yes, it is completely filthy. I haven't had a bath since I joined the Company. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I didn't notice it had been that long. Well, the men haven't showered either. So I guess it was natural.

I look back up at her before sighing and slowly taking off my clothes. My shirt, bra, pant, and shoes are already on the floor but I pause at the panties. Showing my boobs to another girl is okay but not my vagina. I look up at her. She smiles, amused before turning around. I smile in gratitude before quickly taking off the panties and climbing into the tub. I sigh in contentment as I sink below the heated water. It is like a Jacuzzi, minus the dead skin cells. Galadriel turns back around and smiles. "There now, child. That was not hard. You should not hide your body, though. It is beautiful," she says while handing me a rag and soap. I blush and smile while grabbing the supplies. "Thank you, ma'am," I reply, beginning to wash the layer of filth from my body. I watch as I run the rag up my arm. Underneath the dirt and grime, my skin is milky white. It goes with my long brown hair, which I had been putting in a bun up until then. I took the pony tail out and let my hair plop down. There were strange substances in it. I look back at Galadriel, who was vaguely hiding slight disgust. I don't know why, but I thought that was entirely too funny. I start laughing and work myself up enough that I have to stop washing. She glanced up and gave me a soft smile, embarrassed to have been caught.

"So, you say you can answer my questions," I state while scrubbing my skin vigorously. She smiles and nods. "Yes, child. I can answer them to the best of my knowledge. I may not know all of what is happening, but I do know you are here for a reason," she replies. "Which is?" I ask. She shakes her head. "That I do not know. Soon, your purpose may show itself. Or it already has," she says with a glint in her eye. I furrow my eyebrow. "What do you mean?" I ask. She tilts her head to the side and looks closely at my face. "You are involved with the Company. Right?" she asks. I nod. "Well, as far as I can see, you have greatly impacted them. They have accepted you as one of their own, which is very rare for them. Gandalf is also quite fond of you…. And the two Durin heirs," she adds smiling mischievously. I immediately blush. "Oh.. No. It- it isn't like that." I stutter. "Oh, isn't it?" she asks. "NO! I mean… no." I say, focusing all my attention on bathing. The only thing that needs done now is shaving and my hair.

"No? You three seemed to have a connection, though. I could be wrong" she replies, running her hands along the edge of the tub. "Well, I mean yeah. I guess we have grown close. But they are, like, royalty. And I doesn't even matter! This is all a dream!" I say indigenously. She stops and looks at me with a sad expression. "Now, you don't actually believe that, do you? This is all very real," she says. I frown at her. This is only a dream, right? Yes, this is only a dream. It has to be. Right? I glance at her. She is watching me with an expectant look on her face. I shake my head before submerging myself in the water. I wash my hair with the water and come back up. I use the soap to scrub down my hair, making sure to ignore Galadriel. I re-submerge myself before thinking. This is still a dream. I has to be, right? I mean, there is no way I am actually here. I am going to wake up sooner or later in my home. My home. Where was my home? I try thinking about it. What did my house look like? I try thinking about other aspects of my life. Who was my roommate? I can't remember. I gasp, taking in water. I start to panic and burst through the surface of the water. I cough and sputter before looking at Galadriel with wild eyes. "I can't remember anything!" I yell. She looks at me, surprised. Then her features even out and become calm again. "Yes, I suppose that would happen. You no longer need them," she says calmly with a hint of sadness. "But—but…" I stamper out. She shakes her head. "Come, child let's get you out of that water," she says reasonably, changing the subject. I look around me. The water had turned to a nasty brown color. I quickly climb out, taking the large cloth she was offering.

"Why can't I remember anything?" I ask, suddenly angry. She sighed and twisted a piece of my hair around her slender finger. "I do not know, child. But I believe that it is because you do not need the memories for your purpose," she says. "What purpose?!" I shout. She steps back, letting my hair go. "I have a feeling you will find out soon. In the meantime, do you accept that this is not a dream?" she asks urgently. I draw in a deep breath and nod. "Yes, I guess I have known it for a while but couldn't accept it," I reply. She nods, suddenly serious. "Then there is something I have to give you, child," she says. She walks over to the table in the corner and brings over a sword. The sword I found earlier. "How did you get that?" I ask, reaching for it. She looked at me and drew it back slightly, just out of my reach. I frown, glancing at her face. She is watching me closely. "What is it doing, child?" she asks seriously. I frown again and look at the sword. "It's whispering. Just like it did when I found it," I reply. She suddenly relaxed and smiled. "Good. Good. Only the chosen wielder can hear the whispers of the ancestors. Though I do not know what this could mean," she muttered softly. "What do you mean by that?" I ask. She looked up at me and shook her head softly. "Well, child. The sword choses its wielder. This particular sword is known as the Ancestral Sword. The wielder can listen to the whispers of the ancestors," she explains. I frown and reach forward to grip the sword hilt. She allows me to have it. "Well what are they saying?" I ask tracing the intricate floral design. "I do not know, child. I am not the wielder. Only you can hear them speak. Only you are allowed to hear their wisdom. If you want my advice, I would tell you to listen. To complete your purpose here, you will have to listen," she says wisely. I hold the sword up to my ear. The whispers are all muddled together. "I can't hear what they are saying. They are all jumbled," I say to her. "They will speak to you when the time is right. But try to listen with your heart and not your head. You will find hat you can hear a lot more that way," she says.

Just as she finished the sentence, several female elves came into the room with baskets of things. She looked over at them and smiled. They looked at me and giggled excitedly. I looked to Galadriel questioningly. She smiled, amused. "They wish to help you dress. They admire your beauty," she explained. The girls giggled and began walking toward me. One took my sword and gently handed it to Galadriel. I let it go. It is in safe hands. My eyes widened as the girls began setting the baskets down and pulling supplies from them. I looked to Galadriel. The serious discussion was over. She nodded, silently telling me to let it happen and relax. I sigh as I feel the towel being tugged away from my body and a brush running through my hair. The fun was about to begin. Oh boy.


	9. Girls and Their Rituals

**Alright. It is official. I am an awful person. I'm so sorry I have neglected you, duckies! School is almost out and then hopefully I will be writing every week again. I have to study for finals and do articles for Journalism. Not fun. But I'm back and I have decided to give you a treat for your patience. So in this chapter, get ready for some nice girly goodness. I love you all! Please review!**

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I stood stark naked in front of the group of female elves. From the way they were giggling, I placed them as teenagers. I glanced up at Galadriel with slightly panicked eyes as the girls began taking supplies out of the baskets. She just had an amused smile on her face and chuckled softly. "Hold your arms out to the sides, please," a small voice murmured. I complied which made me feel incredibly exposed. Oh well. In for a penny, in for a pound. Or however that phrase goes. I guess I don't need that memory either. That thought brought on a slight sadness. I sighed. I have to make the best of this.

I was snapped back to the present by one of the girls sticking her hand on my breast. "Hey! What do you think you are doing?" I ask while batting her hand away. She just giggled which cause the other girls to giggle. "I have to know the size so we can get the correct length of gauze," she said graciously. "Gauze? What is that for?" I asked, confused. The girls looked at each other which caused another round of giggles. "To wrap your breasts silly," she explained while trying to hold in her giggles. Another girl picked up my dirty, old bra with the tips of her fingers. "Yeah, we don't know what this is, but it is certainly disgusting," she said while wrinkling her nose in disgust.

She dropped it on the ground where it made a soft thud and left a dirty print. Huh. Guess it was dirtier than I thought. The print caused a chorus of "Ewwws" to go up, mine included. Then, we all looked at each other and ended up roaring in laughter. I was laughing so hard my side had a stitch and I had to hold it. Some of the girls had tears running down their perfect porcelain faces. I looked for Galadriel in the crowd to see if she was laughing. She was gone. Huh. When did that happen?

The girls regained composure. "Now we have to make you the most beautiful lady in Middle- Earth," a younger girl said. "She already is, Haddie," said one of the girls. I glanced at them all. "Wait. Before I let you touch me all over, what are your names?" I ask. Was I stalling? Nah.

"Oh, of course. Well that's Haddie, Tati, Nimro, Ninia, Mariela, and I'm Mali," said an older girl. I looked at them all, standing there gracefully. They watched me with lightly veiled excitement. I sighed again. "Well, are we doing this?" I asked with a smile tugging at my lips. They all squealed. Next thing I knew, there was fabrics being thrown around, different bottle being smelled and passed, and oils being put on cloths.

"Hold still," Tati said with a serious tone. She held what looked like a medieval version of tweezers. Hey. I remember what tweezers are. Yay for me! I stood as still as possible while she plucked my eyebrows to perfection. After a while, she stepped back and the other girls stopped what they were doing to admire my eyebrows. "Ooh, pretty," the girls all chorused and giggled. "Yeah, they are perfect," Tati said with pride. I smiled. "Can I see them?" I asked. "Not until you are all done," Ninia said with a smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do you mean done? What all do you have to do?" I asked while looked at all of them. They all smirked and playfully said, "Everything."

Mariela slathered lotion all over my body while complimenting my figure. When I say all over, I mean ALL over. I don't think I will ever be able to look her straight in the eye again. Maybe in a hundred years. Next was Mali with a little container of green paste. "It will make you glow," was all she said as she slathered it on top of my skin. Haddie and Nimro were busy holding fabrics up to my skin and measuring me. I tried turning my head to see what they were doing but was immediately scolded by Mali. Ninia came over and started working on my nails. Buffing, trimming, and polishing them until they were perfect. Then she dropped down and worked on my toes.

All of a sudden, I felt hands touching my lower stomach, tracing something. "What is this?" Haddie asked innocently. I smiled. "It is a tattoo. They take s needle with ink and shove it into your skin which dyes it," I explained. "It's the moon with swirls," she said in wonder. I didn't really think about it too much anymore. I got it when I was 16 and rebelled against my mother. It was the moon with soft swirls coming out from behind it and gracefully curving over my hip bone. It was beautiful. I was the one who drew and created it. Something I could call mine. I smiled at her. "Yeah, I drew it." They all stopped what they were doing and looked at me in wonder. "Wow, you must be an artist," Mariela said. I smiled shyly. "Yeah, I suppose," I replied.

"Well, we are all done with the new clothes," Haddie announced after finishing her exploration of my tattoo. I looked over at the clothes. Huh. I didn't feel naked anymore though. The girls really did make me feel comfortable. I suppose walking out of the room would make me feel naked, though. Especially if Kili or Fili saw me. The thought made me blush. I heard a round of giggles go up and looked around to see the girls watching me. "What?" I asked, confused. "Nothing. It's just… we could tell what you were thinking," Nimro said with a mischievous smile. "And what was I thinking?" I asked with a slight smile. "About two handsome dwarves not seeing you in anything," Haddie said with a giggle. This caused another fit of giggles. I joined in whole-heartedly.

"It isn't like that though. They don't see me like that," I explained once I got my breath back. "Really? 'Cause it seemed to me that they couldn't take their eyes off of you. And you couldn't take your eyes off of them," Tati said while raising her eyebrows suggestively. "Even when you looked like you slept in a dirty bush for the past few weeks," Haddie chimed in. I smiled, chuckled, and then fully laughed. "Yeah, I suppose, I wasn't the cleanest," I said playfully. "You think," Nimro added. I picked up a piece of fabric and threw it at her. She laughed and swatted it away.

"You know what I think? I think she is stalling so she doesn't have to face the dwarf princes," Mali said while looking at the other girls. They all nodded wisely. I looked around at them. "I am NOT stalling! I can walk out there and face them if I wanted to. They are just men," I said indigently. "Then do it," Mariela taunted. "Huh. Fine. Then give me clothes. You'll see," I stated. They all shared a look and smiled, barely containing their giggles. Haddie and Mariela helped me put on the short dress and legging things.

I looked in the mirror in the corner. The dress was a dark forest green which looked great with my hair. With the deep brown leggings, I looked like a wood spirit. I looked elegant and mysterious and beautiful. My hair, now clean and shiny, was put in an elaborate braid. It curled over my shoulder and had deep purple flowers woven into it. Where did they get those? My eyes were drawn to my face. It was like a pixie. My creamy skin was accented by my deep brown eyes and perfectly done eyebrows. My lips were full and naturally red. My cheeks had a healthy blush going on. In other words, I looked damn amazing.

I smiled at myself in the mirror. I turned to the girls who were all standing in a straight line behind me. I walked over to them and smiled. "Thank you. I look amazing and I made new friends while being her," I said with a tight throat. My eyes might have been a little wet, but I'll deny that if asked. They all openly had joyful tears running down their cheeks. They all moved in and hugged me. "We are going to miss you when you go! Visit every time you have the chance," they all said. I chuckled. "Well, of course. I'm going to need my eyebrows done daily. And did you see my hair when I got here? This is going to need some treatment," I said while giggling. They all broke into a fit of giggles.

"Okay, now that we have our emotions under control, here are your boots. They are light and durable; made for traveling," Tati said while drying her eyes. I took the soft leather boots. They were a deep brown just like the legging. I put them on and looked around for my sword. "Here it is," said Mariela. "There is a sheath on the side of the dress for the sword." I looked down. The sheath blended in with the soft leather fabric of the dress. The sheath went to my knees. The dress stopped two inches above my knees. I sheathed the sword and looked in the mirror again. I looked ready. "Wait. Galadriel said she wanted you to have these. They are elven made," Nimro said while handing me something wrapped in a cloth. I opened to cloth to see an assortment of knives. "There are hidden pockets all over the outfit for them," Ninia said. They showed me the seven hidden pockets. Two were on the inside of the sleeves which came down to my wrists. One was between my breasts, which were tightly bound and shown off with the scoop neck. Two were on separate thighs, hidden by the dress. And two were in the boots which came up to mid-calf.

"Wow. Now I think I'm ready," I said with a chuckle. They all giggled and walked with me to the door. Tati handed me a soft leather bag. It was also deep brown like the leggings. Jeez, did they match everything? "This contains supplies for your travels. It's from us, girls. You are a friend too. We hope you like it," Tati said. I smiled at them all. "Of course I like it! I will come back some day," I said to them all. They all smiled and pushed me out the door. "Good, now go show the two handsome dwarf princes how stunning you are," they all said. I laughed and hurried down the hallways, remembering the way I came. It wasn't until I reached the doorway to the guesthouse that what they said really sunk in. I heard male voices coming from the guest house, my friends were awake by this time. And in the voices, I could pick out two that I think I will forever remember. Kili and Fili. Oh boy, this was going to be fun, I thought as I took the last step into the room.


End file.
